René Matthew Haebig, 78, of Kenosha, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 6, 2020 at his daughter’s home in Greendale, WI, surrounded by his loving family.Born on March 19, 1942, in Marshfield, WI, he was the son of the late Alphonse and Reva (Renné) Haebig. He moved to Kenosha in 1944 and attended local schools, including St. Mark’s School and graduated from Kenosha High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Carthage College, and his master’s degree from Vanderbilt University.René always held fond memories of his first teaching position at Saint George, as well as his many teaching positions within the Kenosha Unified School District. It was in a position at Lincoln Junior High that he met his future wife, Elizabeth “Beth” Connelly. On June 17, 1978, the two were married at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. René was a high school teacher throughout the district until his retirement in January 2001. Over the years, upon hearing the name “Haebig,” many former students would introduce themselves to family members, and share memories of their time in his class.He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church; Kenosha Education Association, where he formally served as president; KYF Running Club; as well as handball and racquetball leagues. He enjoyed taking care of others, inventing, and fixing things. He was known as the neighborhood handyman, and never shied away from a project. He loved listening to music, reading, and staying active with his wife- they could often be found at the YMCA.René is survived by four children, Caroline (Scotlyn Ecker) Haebig of Greendale, WI, Dr. Eileen (Dr. Christopher Cox) Haebig of Baton Rouge, LA, Philip Haebig of Kenosha, WI, and Maureen Haebig of Madison, WI; two grandchildren, James René Cox and Ciaran Connelly Ecker; one sister, Sue (James) Rogers; and a sister-in-law, Gwen Haebig.He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Scott Haebig. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation Midwest Chapter would be appreciated by the family (more information can be found at https://www.parkinson.org/Midwest).A funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 5th at Saint Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, 4816 7th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53140. A celebration of life will be held on September 4, 2022 between 2 pm and 6 pm at 6027 7th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53143. Regardless of vaccination status, the family requests that masks be worn at the funeral for those who are older than two years of age.Proko Funeral Home & Crematory5111-60th StreetKenosha, WI 53144Phone: (262) 654-3533Visit & Sign René’sOnline Memorial Book at:www.prokofuneralhome.com